Rodriguez is accused of killing Yaron Lischinsky, 30, and Sarah Milgrim, 26, on May 21, 2025, as the pair was leaving an event at a Jewish museum.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

US Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro announced that the Justice Department will seek the death penalty against Elias Rodriguez in connection with the fatal shooting of two Israeli Embassy staff members outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, DC.

Rodriguez is accused of killing Yaron Lischinsky, 30, and Sarah Milgrim, 26, on May 21, 2025, as the pair were leaving an event at a Jewish museum.

Federal prosecutors said the death penalty notice applies to charges including the murder of a foreign official, causing death through the use of a firearm, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.

Rodriguez has pleaded not guilty to the charges and is scheduled to appear in court on June 30.

According to prosecutors, the attack was premeditated and motivated by political, ideological, national, and religious bias.

Authorities also charged Rodriguez with additional offenses including hate crimes and acts of terrorism.

Pirro said the Justice Department intended to pursue the maximum punishment available under federal law.

“Anyone who commits acts of political violence in the nation’s capital will face the full force of the law,” Pirro said in remarks reported by BBC News.

In an earlier statement, Pirro said prosecutors were committed to pursuing accountability for the attack and its impact on the Jewish community.

“My office will not rest in our efforts to hold Elias Rodriguez accountable for this horrific, and targeted act of terror against Yaron Lischinsky, Sarah Milgrim and our Jewish community,” Pirro said.

Prosecutors allege Rodriguez expressed support for violence against Israelis before the shooting, including in social media posts in which he allegedly wrote “Death to Israel.”

The case comes as President Donald Trump has embraced use of the federal death penalty after former President Joe Biden moved to limit its application.

The killings of Lischinsky and Milgrim drew national attention because the victims worked for the Israeli Embassy and the shooting took place outside a Jewish institution in the US capital.

Federal authorities said the charges against Rodriguez involve crimes tied to political violence and antisemitic targeting.

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Both Guardsmen are critically wounded and receiving treatment in separate hospitals.

By World Israel News Staff

Gunfire rang out in the nation’s capital Wednesday afternoon when two National Guardsmen were shot just a short distance from the White House, in Washington, D.C.

The suspect is currently in custody, while the White House remains on lockdown. Flights at Reagan International Airport were briefly halted but the ground stop has since been lifted. President Trump, who is not currently in Washington but rather in Mar-a-Lago, Florida, confirmed that both Guardsmen are critically wounded and receiving treatment in separate hospitals.

In a news briefing, FBI Director Kash Patel and other officials also confirmed that the Guardsmen are currently in critical condition.

On Truth Social, President Trump said, “The animal that shot the two National Guardsmen, with both being critically wounded, and now in two separate hospitals, is also severely wounded, but regardless, will pay a very steep price. God bless our Great National Guard, and all of our Military and Law Enforcement. These are truly Great People. I, as President of the United States, and everyone associated with the Office of the Presidency, am with you!”

Vice President JD Vance called the attack a “somber reminder” of the daily risks faced by America’s service members, describing U.S. soldiers as the “sword and the shield of the United States of America.” He added, “Let me just say very personally — thank them for what they’re doing. We’re grateful to them, and we’re praying that they’re going to be safe and they’re going to spend Thanksgiving with their families. God bless them.”

Earlier reports had mistakenly confirmed the deaths of the two Guardsmen, but West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey retracted that statement. “We are now receiving conflicting reports about the condition of our two Guard members and will provide additional updates once we receive more complete information,” Morrisey wrote on X. “Our prayers are with these brave service members, their families, and the entire Guard community.”

The motive for the shooting has not yet been determined, and the identity of the shooter has not been publicly revealed. This remains a developing story.

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